How to ensure you're starting with a truly clean slate

If you've experienced dull hair, limp strands, or a flaky scalp, it might not be just because of the weather. It turns out all these issues can be caused (and solved) by the way you're shampooing your hair. Celebrity colorist Beth Minardi breaks down the dos and dont's of washing your hair step-by-step when you keep reading.

Misstep 1: You're not wetting your hair enough. To guarantee your products work their best, completely saturate your strands in the shower for three to four minutes preshampoo, being sure to avoid wringing out your hair.

Misstep 2: You're not using the right kind of sulfates. When it comes to the great sulfate debate, Minardi is all for using naturally derived, coconut-oil-based sulfates. "Without lather hair doesn't get clean," she explains. "It's lather that creates sort of a vacuum situation that sucks the dirt and cellular debris away from the head." After applying shampoo to the nape of your neck, the crown, and a dollop at each temple, just add water until you see suds.

Misstep 3: You're causing friction. Minardi warns against rubbing strands between your hands as you wash, which can damage your strands. Focus instead on using your fingertips to massage the scalp, where shampoo is most needed.

Misstep 4: You're repeating unnecessarily. When it comes to shampooing, once is really enough. "That myth of lather, rinse, repeat is wrong," she says. "Those were directions that were made in the 1950s, when women washed their hair once a week or less."

Misstep 5: You're not rinsing enough. Take the time to rinse hair out thoroughly and then wring it out postshampoo. "When [some women] come in to get their hair colored, there is still soap curd dried behind their ears because they didn't rinse their hair and it looks like flakes," she said. "It's not that they have a flaky scalp - there is still shampoo in their head."

Misstep 6: You're conditioning in the wrong place. No wash cycle is complete without conditioner. But remember to only apply product on the hair shaft (not the scalp). In addition, work your conditioner through with your fingers instead of a comb. "The comb rips your hair out." Finally, for optimal shine, finish up with a hit of cool water.